Structural Collapse and Vehicular Crash Simulation Using a Plastic Hinge Technique*

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper presents a computer-based method for formulation and efficient solution of nonlinear, constrained differential equations of motion for spatial dynamic analysis of mechanical systems and its application to automobile crash simulation. Nonlinear holonomic constraint equations and differential equations of motion are written in terms of a maximal set of Cartesian generalized coordinates, three translational and four rotational coordinates for each rigid body in the system, where the rotational coordinates are Euler parameters. A numerical integration algorithm with positive-error control, employing a predictor-corrector algorithm with variable order and step size, integrates for only the independent variables, yet effectively determines dependent variables. The program is used to analyze plastic deformations of structures by employing a plastic hinge concept. The structure is divided into several components that are connected by plastic hinges. Each plastic hinge is modeled by a joint-spring combination to represent the elastoplastic structural characteristics. It is shown that the program with the